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Monday, December 14, 2015

Isn’t Everyone Selfish?

Animals seek their
own pleasure and do not think about the consequences to others. Those species
that do live together have the fewest appetites to gratify. This clearly shows
that selfishness is not only the trait of humans but it is also prominent in
animals. The plant species is also the same. They try to absorb minerals and
water for themselves first. They even change their directions for getting
enough sunlight which decide their growth. “Evolutionary biology is quite clear
that “What’s in it for me?” is an ancient refrain for all life, and there is no
reason to exclude Homo sapiens,”
writes David Barash. .[15]

As I already
mentioned any living organism has an intrinsic call towards selfishness. Man
being at the top of the pyramid with intellect, reason out this intrinsic
nature a bit more intensely for his own self-interest. “Everyone does what he
really wants to do — otherwise, he wouldn’t do it.” Or “No one ever really
sacrifices himself. Since every purposeful action is motivated by some value or
goal that the actor desires, one always acts selfishly, whether one knows it or
not.” .[16]

It is pretty clear
that the nature of existence catapult a drive in every living organism to take
care of its growth, sustenance, and survival. May be we call it as selfishness.
However, we need to question ourselves, how can we survive in the competitive
world without looking to one’s own needs and progress? It is a healthy note for
anyone to be what one ought to be. But some of us go a few steps further than
this limit in the world of ‘me and me’ only.

Ayn Rand in her
essay, The Virtue of Selfishness,
defines selfishness as “concern with one’s own interests.” .[17] It
is very dangerous as it leads to corruption and manipulation in the world. A
genuinely selfish man chooses his goals by the guidance of reason — and because
the interests of rational men do not clash — other men may often benefit from
his actions. But the benefit of other men is not his primary purpose or goal;
his own benefit is his primary purpose and the conscious goal directing his
actions. .[18] For Spinoza, “The more each person strives and is
able to seek his profit, that is to say, to preserve his being, the more virtue
does he posses; on the other hand, is so far as each person who neglects his
own profit, is impotent.” .[19] What I mean by selfishness here is
the tendency to seek and promote my own comfort and satisfaction before that of
anybody else. They grab the best for themselves before anyone else. Selfish
people in this sense are the people who (for instance) always try to get the
finest piece of chicken, or the largest glass of wine, or the best seat for
themselves.

Dawkin’s argument
would substantiate the selfish gene theory that everyone is born selfish and we
are selfish at our gene level. The fundamental unit of selection, and therefore
of self-interest, is not the species, nor the group, nor even, strictly, the
individual. It is the gene, the unit of heredity. .[20]

Thus, I would not
hesitate to doubt that it is the man’s selfish gene and the ability to reason
which drives him to be selfish and thereby leads to egoism.